1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to bibs and, in particular, a bib including a structure for engaging a pacifier ring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The combination of a bib and a pacifier was originally disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 242,503 to Derifield. Therein, Derifield shows a bib having a ribbon attached to it. The ribbon has a loop at the end for engaging the ring of a pacifier.
Bibs have also been used to engage other items such as nursing bottles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,907 issued to Susan Maillard describes a combined insulated enclosure and bib for support of a nursing bottle. In this regard, also see U.S. Pat. No. 298,985 to Kimball and U.S. Design Pat. No. 232,058 for a bottle holding infant jacket by Palomares.
The above prior art as well as all prior art suffers from significant deficiencies with regard to the combination of a bib and the pacifier. First of all, it is important that the pacifier be held immediately in front of the infant wearing the bib/pacifier combination so that the pacifier is always located in the same place and is easily visible and accessible.
In this regard, it has been found that the invention promotes hand and eye coordination of the infant at a very early age because the infant can always find the pacifier in the same place and is able to grab it and place it in its mouth. Second of all, it is necessary that the pacifier supporting means have substantial structure so that it cannot wrap around the infant's neck or otherwise get tangled in the fingers of the infant. In this regard, the Derifield patent is seriously deficient. Third of all, the pacifier engaging portion of the bib must easily engage the pacifier yet maintain the pacifier in a fixed position so that the infant cannot separate the pacifier from the engaging portion.
Clearly, the purpose of combining the pacifier and bib is to prevent the pacifier from dropping and causing anxiety in the infant. In addition, the support of the pacifier on the bib keeps the pacifier fairly clean. In addition, the support of the pacifier on the bib allows nurseries and other day care centers to associate particular pacifiers with infants and prevent the pacifiers from becoming mixed up or shared.